LA Testing offers asbestos testing services to quickly identify its presence in all types of building materials and environmental samples.

Garden Grove, CA, December 9, 2013 -- Last month, an article in the Oakdale Leader discussed how demolition activities at an old city water tank had to be halted and eventually changed due to the discovery of asbestos on the inside of the tank. According to the article, the water tank was built in 1912 and initial tests on the outside of the tank did not indicate the presence of asbestos. Once demolition began, workers found a suspicious coating on the interior of the tank that proved to contain asbestos.

The discovery of asbestos has required adjustments to the demolition plans and added additional costs. An environmental firm began performing air sampling for asbestos to ensure people around the construction site are not being exposed to asbestos fibers.

Asbestos was commonly used in the past in many buildings and structures, even water tanks. Its strength, durability, insulating and fire resistant properties made it a popular building material. Today, many of these older structures are being demolished or renovated. If workers are not aware of its presence, they could be exposed to high levels of asbestos fibers. People living or working in nearby areas could also be at risk.

According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), “Worker exposure to asbestos hazards are addressed in specific OSHA standards for the construction industry, general industry and shipyard employment sectors. These standards reduce the risk to workers by requiring that employers provide personal exposure monitoring to assess the risk and hazard awareness training for operations where there is any potential exposure to asbestos. Airborne levels of asbestos are never to exceed legal worker exposure limits.”

One California laboratory that has been helping to protect workers and the public from exposure to asbestos is LA Testing. “Asbestos can be found in many places, even old water tanks as the case in Oakdale reminds us all,” said Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager of LA Testing’s Garden Grove facility. “At LA Testing, we provide rapid testing services so that when suspect materials are discovered they can be analyzed quickly to prevent disruptions to demolition and renovation projects. These services are available to the general public, contractors, consultants and regulators.'

To learn more about asbestos testing services or other indoor air quality (IAQ) issues, please visit www.LATesting.com, email info@LATesting.com or call (800) 755-1794. About LA Testing and EMSL Analytical, Inc.LA Testing and EMSL Analytical are providers of environmental testing services and products to professionals and the general public. The companies have an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies. LA Testing has laboratories throughout California staffed with the industry’s leading scientists and advanced instrumentation.

Related news

Asbestos was used for decades in many building products found in Puerto Rico and across the Caribbean. It is a naturally occurring mineral fiber that when added to building products, offers desirable attributes such as increased strength, corrosion resistance, acoustical dampening, thermal insulation and fire resistance.
It is most likely to be found in homes and buildings constructed between approximately the 1930s through the 1970s. It was used in everything from roofing and siding to insulation, flooring,...

Last month, The Citizen published a report about an organization that runs a family and children’s center in Auburn, New York being fined thousands of dollars for improper asbestos removal. The organization that runs the center was cited for three serious violations according to the article.
Asbestos-containing materials can still be found in thousands of commercial, institutional, and residential properties in the tri-state area. Workers involved in industries such as construction, demolition, and...

ARI has appointed a representative, Wayne Loane, to capitalise on building facilities and sublicensing opportunities across Australasia.
Wayne has over 20 years’ experience in the waste industry and developed the innovative Hazibag in Australia to contain and transport asbestos and other hazardous waste. With his new role, Wayne will be looking to build the region’s first thermochemical treatment unit to process asbestos waste into a non-hazardous product.
Tony Windsor, Managing Director, ARI Global...

Throughout New York and the tri-state area there are still countless residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional properties with asbestos-containing materials. There are also a number of industries where workers may come into contact with asbestos during their daily activities.
Due to the unique properties found in asbestos, these minerals were used for decades in thousands of commercial products and building materials. While asbestos may have many beneficial attributes, asbestos fibers can be...

Researchers have presented a comprehensive new classification manual of asbestos-containing products (ACP), materials (ACM) and waste (ACW) in a recent study. They also mapped suitable landfill sites for the proper disposal of ACW in Italy and developed guidance on assigning ACW to correct European Waste Catalogue (EWC) codes. The research will help operators engaged in asbestos waste disposal across Europe and should contribute to aims for the total removal of asbestos from the EU.
Asbestos can cause cancer and...

Customer comments

No comments were found for Asbestos Find Halts Demolition Project in California Town. Be the first to comment!